Interview with Author Cynthia T. Toney

Author Cynthia T. Toney shares about her two young adult novels, the important issues included in them, her passion to rescue shelter dogs and more in her Q & A interview below. 

 Anonymous sticky-notes, a scheming bully, and a ruined summer send fourteen-year-old Wendy down a trail of secrets and self-discovery.

Wendy Robichaud doesn't care one bit about being popular like good-looking classmates Tookie and the Sticks—until Brainiac bully John-Monster schemes against her, and someone leaves anonymous sticky-note messages all over school. Even the best friend she always counted on, Jennifer, is hiding something and pulling away. But the Spring Program, abandoned puppies, and high school track team tryouts don’t leave much time to play detective. And the more Wendy discovers about the people around her, the more there is to learn. When secrets and failed dreams kick off the summer after eighth grade, who will be around to support her as high school starts in the fall?

 A Cajun family secret, two very different boys, and a fight to keep a grandmother’s love—who would’ve guessed that looking through old photo albums could get Wendy into so much trouble?

Wendy Robichaud is on schedule to have everything she wants at the start of high school: two loyal best friends, a complete and happy family, and a hunky boyfriend she’s had a crush on since eighth grade—until she and Mrs. Villaturo look at old photo albums together. That’s when Mrs. V sees her dead husband and hints at a scandal down in Cajun country. Faster than you can say “crawdad,” Wendy digs into the scandal and into trouble. She risks losing boyfriend David by befriending Mrs. V’s deaf grandson, alienates stepsister Alice by having a boyfriend in the first place, and upsets her friend Gayle without knowing why. Will Wendy be able to prevent Mrs. V from being taken thousands of miles away? And will she lose all the friends she’s fought so hard to gain?

Genre:

Teen/Young Adult (YA), although many parents also recommend it for middle-schoolers as young as 11 years old.  10 Steps to Girlfriend Status can certainly be read without first reading book one, 8 Notes to a Nobody, but I’d recommend the younger crowd read them in order. Teens will connect with 10 Steps to Girlfriend Status more quickly because it deals with dating, among other issues.

How did you choose the title for 10 Steps to Girlfriend Status, and did you design the cover?

The cover design was a collaborative effort with my publisher. Although the series handles some serious issues, my new publisher and I agreed that the covers should be cheerful. The stories are full of hope and contain some humor. I also wanted the covers to tie together yet retain individual looks. When my publisher asked for new titles because she wanted to use “Bird Face” as the name of the series, I thought about the elements of the stories that were numbered. Wendy receives eight notes in book one, 8 Notes to a Nobody, and tracks ten steps in her relationship with David in book two, 10 Steps to Girlfriend Status. It must’ve been divine inspiration that caused me to create titles containing numbers that also employ alliteration and have a sort of rhythm to them. I’m happy to report that I’ve received positive and unsolicited feedback regarding the titles and covers.

How would you describe the book to someone in a text message? 

A Cajun family secret, two very different boys, and a fight to keep a grandmother’s love—who would’ve guessed that looking through old photo albums could get Wendy into so much trouble?

Who is your main character and what problem does he/she face?

 Wendy Robichaud is on schedule to have everything she wants at the start of high school: two loyal best friends, a complete and happy family, and a hunky boyfriend she’s had a crush on since eighth grade—until she and Mrs. Villaturo look at old photo albums together. That’s when Mrs. V sees her dead husband and hints at a scandal down in Cajun country. Faster than you can say “crawdad,” Wendy digs into the scandal and into trouble. She risks losing boyfriend David by befriending Mrs. V’s deaf grandson, alienates stepsister Alice by having a boyfriend in the first place, and upsets her friend Gayle without knowing why.

Wendy’s problems in a nutshell: She must fight to try to prevent Mrs. V from being taken thousands of miles away, and she risks all the friends she’s fought hard to gain since we met her in book one.

What makes your book stand out from other books like it?

 This story uses humor and hope to address issues of adapting to a blended family, having a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s, and struggling through that first innocent romantic relationship. It also has a deaf teen character. I haven’t seen that combination anywhere else!

 When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?

It changed from artist to schoolteacher to veterinarian to commercial artist/designer, I think. I still think about how great it would be to practice as a veterinarian. I could still write in my spare time.

When did you know you wanted to be an author?

In my forties while working as a marketing/advertising designer and copywriter.

What books have influenced you most?

Betsy Byars’ Bingo Brown series made me want to write books containing humor and young teen characters. Judy Blume’s middle-grade and teen novels made me want to help young people handle some of the issues and challenges they face.

What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?

I rode in a twin-engine plane over a body of water.

Do you have life philosophy?

When I choose someone to add to my life, I choose someone who is kind to animals. That person will likely treat me well.

 Ever think about becoming an author yourself? Here's Cynthia's advice to you:

Start now! The more you write, the better you become. Read modern bestsellers and classics in the genre you want to write. You’ll develop your own style. If you don’t feel ready to write a novel, write a short story. Read books about self-editing, plot structure, setting, and character development.  

Who is Cynthia T. Toney? Read on to find out:

Cynthia is a former advertising designer, marketing director, and interior decorator who holds a BA in art education with a minor in history. While employed by a large daily newspaper, she rewrote some ad copy without permission and got into trouble for it. At that point, she knew she was destined to become an author.

When she’s not cooking Cajun or Italian food, Cynthia writes historical and contemporary teen fiction containing elements of mystery and romance. The first edition of her debut novel, Bird Face, won a 2014 Moonbeam Children’s Book Award, Bronze, in the Pre-teen Mature Issues category.

With a new publisher for an entire Bird Face series, the original story is now Book One and titled 8 Notes to a Nobody. Book Two is 10 Steps to Girlfriend Status. Look for more books in the series in the near future from Write Integrity Press.

Cynthia loves rescued animal-shelter dogs and the friendly South from Georgia to Texas, where she resides with her husband and several canines. 

Rescue dog, Angela, who is blind in one eye, resting.

Have questions or comments for Cynthia? You can leave them in the comments section. She enjoys connecting with readers online and looks forward to hearing from you.

Links:

Website:  http://www.cynthiattoney.com 

Blog:  http://birdfacewendy.wordpress.com

Facebook Author Page:  https://www.facebook.com/birdfacewendy

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7872181.Cynthia_T_Toney

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=79780768&trk=spm_pic

Twitter:  @CynthiaTToney

Interview with Diana Sharples

Today Diana Sharples, author of Running Lean joins us on the blog and talks about her book, her motorcycle, her faith and her challenges.

Running Lean is my debut novel, published by Zondervan/Blink Books, and I wrote the book for high school-aged readers. The title is an automotive term, relating to the deficiency of fuel to air in a carburetor, but I gave it three definitions for the book, two being metaphors for a deficiency of calories in a person suffering with an eating disorder, and a deficiency of reliance on God during challenging times. 

The story focuses on a North Carolina farm boy, a kind of do-it-yourself guy, who tries to “fix” his girlfriend’s eating disorder. That … doesn’t work out so well for him. I did extensive research into eating disorders for the book so I could understand and convey both the struggles of the person who is suffering and the desperation of the people who love her. At it’s heart, however, Running Lean is a love story, and my boy Calvin is a down-to-earth hero my readers have told me they adore.

The story was originally part of another novel with an ensemble cast--a group of friends from one particular rural North Carolina high school. It became clear to me, though, that Stacey’s story demanded its own space and couldn't be contained within that broader context. It was too important. I’ve read other teen novels about anorexia and bulimia that I felt didn't convey the full scope of eating disorders, and really didn’t focus on how the characters’ loved ones dealt with it. For all the more than ten million men, women, and children who suffer with some kind of eating disorder in the United States alone, there are circles of family and friends who are desperate for answers. In my research, however, I found precious little information that helped those other people know how to react, how to help, how to cope. Thus, I decided that Running Lean would be Calvin’s story, and through it I might leave my readers on both sides with some hope.

I’ve always loved the cover, which was put together by the art department at Zondervan. We didn't know who the young model was, but her expression captures Stacey so well, and she looks very much like a drawing I did of Stacey two years before the book was published. 

It was a thrill for me after the book came out when the model’s mother found me on Facebook, so excited that we’d featured her daughter on the cover--and when could I come do a book signing in her city? Although we live in opposite corners of the country, I still hope that I can do that someday, and have that beautiful girl by my side signing the books as well.

About Diana

Growing up, I alternated between wanting to be a writer and an artist … and a drummer! I ended up pursuing all three. I played drums in several rock bands, and actually met my husband in one of those.

 For a while I focused my career ambitions on science fiction and fantasy illustration, and managed to win a few awards and have a few pieces published along the way. 

I earned a BFA with a focus on illustration and graphics. Yet even with my illustration, story-telling was my passion, and I loved putting story questions into my paintings. I ultimately came back to my first love with stories, writing for teens. Even when I was writing speculative fiction, my characters were always teens (or the elven equivalent of teens). 

When my daughter was eleven years old, I had an epiphany of sorts--a divine inspiration--and I started writing contemporary young adult fiction, so I might produce God-honoring stories about real-life teens. I’m not a theologian by any means, but the underlying themes of my stories explore how teens can live out their faith in a world that often tries to stifle it, or when taking other paths might seem like easier options. 

My stories aren't preachy, but look at real-life situations and how the characters might spiritually struggle with them. I'm currently working on a sequel to Running Lean, featuring Calvin’s two best friends and dirt bike riding buddies from the first book. (And yes, I should insert right here that I am an avid motorcycle rider! I actually own the same vintage motorcycle that Calvin rides in Running Lean, although I’d probably break a few bones if I tried to take that little bike off road. I love my Harley for getting some wind in my face.) 

In the new book, Flannery loves Tyler, but Tyler just wants to be friends, and every aspect of their relationship is challenged when Flannery's mother is diagnosed with breast cancer. Although the story focuses on how the diagnosis spills over into Flannery's life, her mother's “journey" is a very personal one for me, as I'm going through treatment right now. Like Running Lean, the story will end with hope, and it is my prayer that readers will not only enjoy the romantic tension between Flannery and Tyler, but come away encouraged and enlightened. Stay tuned!

You can find Diana's book at your local Christian bookstore or order it Online.

Have any questions for Diana? Post them in the comment section below.